1. What if I still can't make a decision?
Then know that God simply has not manifested this inclination in your heart yet. This may be a sign that God ﷻ wants you to continue to pray and ask Him for help and assistance in this process. Continue making du'a. Never lose hope. Even if you have asked a thousand times and still remain unanswered, this is not a reason to give up.
2. Is it possible to read istikhara for another person?
3. What should I do if I do not observe religious fards and assume that my du'a will not be answered?
Allah is Merciful to everyone. Even the greatest sinner can repent and ask Allah. It depends on your sincerity and trust in Allah.
4. What if the decision affects more than just me?
Then everyone concerned must perform their istikhara.
5. Can I perform istikhara even if I am confident in my decision?
Yes, because it will increase the blessings in your actions. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) performed istikhara even for simple everyday occasions.
6. Can I recite du'a without performing two rak'ahs of prayer?
Reading du'a [supplication] will also be sufficient. The Prophet ﷺ recommended performing a prayer of two rak'ahs, but you can only read du'a if you do it on an ongoing basis, or if you need to make an immediate decision. Also for a Muslim woman who is currently time, for good reasons, one cannot perform namaz; it is permissible to say dua without physical prayer.
7. What should I do if I cannot read Arabic and have serious pronunciation problems?
Read the du'a in Russian and know that Allah understands your prayers, no matter what language they are said in. And as always, pray to God with all your heart. God wants to know that you are truly and sincerely asking Him and only His. If the meaning of your du'a is distorted due to problematic pronunciation, it is permissible to make du'a in your native language.
8. If Allah understands all languages and traditions, then why should I read this in Arabic?
Because the Prophet ﷺ is the one who taught us this spirit and by saying exactly the words that he said, we receive additional blessings. In addition, his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said that the Prophet ﷺ taught them this spirit." and how he ﷺ taught them parts of the Quran.
9. I made a decision without performing istikhara. Am I doomed?
No. Istikhara is a slave's way of asking his Lord for blessings in his decision, however the Lord shows his nobility and generosity regardless of the actions of his slave.
10. Is there a maximum number of times Istikhara can be performed for one specific decision?
The Prophet ﷺ did not give us a number. Therefore, once or several thousand times, it all depends on the person. (In the book “Kifaya 1” by the famous mufassir and muhaddith Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad Yusuf there is a statement about the permission to perform Istikhara prayers up to 7 times). If you still don't feel inclined to make a decision, keep asking. If you feel an inclination, then know that it is from God and accept it. There is no need to constantly perform istikhara to be absolutely sure of your decision.
Translated from Arabic, istikhara means asking for good, for benefit. In the religious concept, istikhara is an attempt by a person who cannot make a final decision regarding a question to find out the answer to this question in ways permitted by Sharia. Istikhara is performed mainly by the Qur'an, rosary and ruga (lot).
Istikhara has several important conditions. Firstly, one cannot perform istikhara regarding a matter about which there are clear instructions in Shariah. That is, if there is a precise instruction regarding any issue in the Koran, Sunnah, or the Mujahideen issued a categorical fatwa, you need to follow this instruction or fatwa; in such a case, istikhara is inappropriate. Secondly, it is not permissible to perform istikhara regarding a sinful act. Istikhara is performed to choose one of two permissible actions. Thirdly, not everyone and not under all conditions have the right to perform istikhara. Because the one who performs istikhara seems to be trying to find out the answer to his question from Allah. Therefore, Istikhara must be performed with the fulfillment of the specified conditions (rules and prayers). In addition, the person performing istikhara must have virtues that will allow him to receive an answer from Allah. Fourthly, someone who performs istikhara with the help of the Koran must have a certain degree of religious education in order to be able to understand the meaning of the corresponding verse, so that he can distinguish whether it is a positive or negative answer, and can adequately assess the result.
There are enough hadiths and traditions about the admissibility of istikhara, both in Shiite and Sunni sources. It is known that istikhara was performed by such great personalities of Islam as Imam Zeinul-Abidin (a), Imam Muhammad Bagir (a), Imam Jafar Sadiq (a). Even the 33rd prayer “Sahifatus-Sajjadiyya”, consisting of the prayers of Imam Zeinul-Abidin (a.s.), is called “Dua Istikhara”. The instructions of Shiite imams regarding istikhara are reflected in the books of Seyid ibn Tavus “Fathul-Abwab”, Allama Majlisi “Biharul-Anwar”, Sheikh Abbas Gumi “Mafatikhul-Jinan”. The sources of the Ahl-Sunnah indicate that His Lordship the Prophet Muhammad (s) taught istikhara to his companions in the same way as he taught the verses of the Koran (Sahihul-Bukhari, book “Tahajjud”, verse XXV bab, hadith 1162; book “Tovhid”, verse X , hadith 7390; “Abwabul-witr”, verse XVIII, hadith 480; “Abwabu igamatis-salawat, verse 188, hadith 1383; “Kitabun-nikah”, verse XXVII; 3255; Sunanu Abu Dawud, "Kitabul-witr", verse XXXI, hadith 1538, etc.).
As for the rules of Istikhara, there is rich and varied information about it. The books describe several versions of istikhara using the Koran. The easiest way is the following. After reading Surah “Ikhlas” three times and three salawat to the Prophet and his descendants, it is said: “Astahirullah birahmatihi hiyaratan fi afiyya” (Əs¬təxirüllahə birəhmətihi xiyərətən fi afiyəh) (I ask Allah for good by His mercy in health). Then you should open the Koran, read the first verse on the right page and determine its meaning. If a person finds it difficult to determine the positive or negative meaning of a verse, he should turn to special books on istikhara. Those books indicate the meaning of the verses on each page of the Qur'an. Even in some Qurans, the result of istikhara is indicated on the right (odd) pages.
There are different ways of istikhara and with the help of rosaries. One of them is as follows. You need to read surahs “Fatiha” and “Gadr” 10 times, and then a prayer that begins with the words “Allahumma inni astahiruka li-ilmika...”, which is given in the books of prayers. Then a handful of beads are separated and counted in pairs. If at the end there is one bead left, the result is positive, and if there are two, the result is negative.
Anyone who wants to perform istikhara must take 6 pieces of paper by lot. On three of them it is written: “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Khiyaratan minallahil-azizil-hakim li-fulan ibn fulan, ifal" (Bismillahir-Rəhmanir-Rəhim. Xiyərətən min¬əllahil-əzizil-həkim li-fülan ibn fülan, ifəl) (For such and such a person, from the Almighty. Do it). Instead of the expression “fulan ibn fulan”, the person performing istikhara writes his name. On the other three papers the same prayer is written, but at the end instead of “ifal” the expression “la tafal” (don’t do this) is written. Then these papers are placed under the sajjada, and prayer is performed in two rak'ahs - istikhara prayer or hajjat. After the end of the prayer, a prostration is performed, during which it is necessary to repeat 100 times: “Astahirullaha birahmatihi hiyaratan fi afiyah.” Then you need to sit on your knees and read this prayer: “Allahumma hir li fi jamii umuri fi yusrin minka wa afiya” (Allahümmə xir li fi cəmii ümuri fi yüsrin minkə və afiyəh) (My Allah, in all my affairs grant me peace and blessing) . Then the papers for the lot are mixed and selected one by one. If a paper with the inscription “do this” falls out three times in a row, then this task can be completed. If a paper with the inscription “don’t do this” falls out three times in a row, then you should refrain from doing this. If the papers fall out mixed up, the result is evaluated after the 5th: which one constitutes an advantage, that’s what they do.
Religious sources also indicate Istikhara prayer. A person who is unable to make a categorical decision on any issue performs a prayer of 2 rak'ahs with the intention of istikhara. It is performed in the same way as morning prayer. After the end of the prayer, the tasbihat of Her Serene Highness Fatima (s.a.) is pronounced, prostration is made and the following is said 100 times: “Astahirullah birahmatihi hiyaratan fi afiya.” Then Allah inspires the person to make the right choice. A person must listen to his heart and draw the right conclusions.
Lord of the worlds. In Dagestan, this type of istikhara is common, such as istikhara on a rosary. It is mainly practiced by Sufis. This action is also extremely common among Shiites. At least, if you enter “istikhara on the rosary” into Google (in Arabic, of course), you will see many works by Shiites on how it is performed. I was never able to find anything similar from Islamic scholars (Sunnis). With one exception, which will be given a little later. Now let’s say a few words about how a Muslim needs to determine certain provisions of his religion.
How can we find out whether there is such a ritual in Islam as istikhara on the rosary?
First of all, of course, we must turn to the words of Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. In these two sources we do not find a single mention of such a ritual. What the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us is prayer and dua, read after prayer. He taught us nothing else in this regard.
It may seem to some that there is a weak hadith on this issue, or, moreover, a hadith about the authenticity of which scholars disagree. This opinion may arise while watching a video from TV-Chirkey, which says something like the following:
“There is a hadith with a chain that comes down to us, but some ulama considered this chain weak and simply abandoned this method.”
From these words it seems that there is some kind of chain that some (not all!) Ulama considered weak. Well, or at worst, there is a hadith that all scholars considered weak. But in reality there are no such hadiths! Those who want to find them can try. But I'm afraid they won't succeed.
That is, it is clear that the disagreements among scientists about the degree of reliability of hadiths have nothing to do with this issue. There is neither reliable, nor good, nor weak hadith about istikhara on the rosary. To be honest, I have not even come across a fictional one on this matter.
Let's now see if any of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught this istikhara? Again, we find that none of them called for this. And when the companions bought fruits at the market, they easily did without istikhara on the rosary.
And the next generation of Muslims - the Tabiin - managed well without this type of istikhara and were content with what came from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And as the sheikh of the Naqshbandi tariqa Muhammad Amin Kurdi said: “Everything good is in following the righteous ancestors, and everything bad is in the innovations of those who follow.”
Here another question arises. Maybe the founders of the madhhabs or their students, or the students of their students called for istikhara to be done on the rosary? Again, in their books there is not a word about this “wonderful” invention of subsequent generations.
What is given as proof of istikhara on the rosary?
Words in the book “Fath al-Allam” written by the author who died in 1916, may Allah have mercy on him and enter him into Paradise:
“Some allowed it (istikhara on the rosary), and some forbade it.”
True, in the said video they tried to soften these words from the book somewhat, and it was said: “Some allowed it, and some didn’t allow it.” Although the verb “منع” should be translated as “forbidden,” as anyone who uses an Arabic-Russian dictionary can see. But this does not change the essence of the matter.
Now you can ask the following question: maybe the said book tells what this istikhara on the rosary is? Again, we don’t find anything like that in it either.
In principle, a person may have a question: who are these scientists mentioned in the book “Fatah al-Allam”, who allowed istikhara to be performed on the rosary in an unknown manner? The answer to this question is also up in the air.
In addition, respected followers of this book, by quoting these words, thereby deprive themselves of the right to criticize the position of the author of these lines, since I support those scholars who, as indicated in their own argument, prohibit performing istikhara on the rosary. However, for unclear reasons, they do not allow this part of the scientists to follow. And if someone says that this istikhara is prohibited, then, in their opinion, for some reason he is “not smart.”
As we see, to this day, supporters of istikhara on the rosary have not cited anything except the words of one of the later authors that some scholars allowed it, and some forbade it.
It’s also very interesting, where did the type of istikhara on rosaries that we perform in Dagestan come from? The only place where I could find a way to perform istikhara on the rosary was in the sea of Shiite books and Dagestan experience. Moreover, the Shiites started earlier.
Shia Rafidi Al-Majlisi in the book “Bihar al-Anwar” (91\250) writes: “I heard that my father reported from his sheikh Al-Bahá’í that he said: “We heard in conversations between our sheikhs that The imam (?) said the following about istikhara with rosaries: “You should take them and say salawat to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 3 times. Then count the rosary in pairs: if at the end there is only one left, then you should do the deed, if there is a pair left, then you should abstain.”
Istikhara on rosary and fortune telling arrows
For those who want to understand the essence of things, Ibn Kathir’s interpretation of the following verse may seem interesting: “Truly, alcohol, gambling, idols and fortune-telling arrows are the evil of the actions of Satan, so distance yourself from them.”
Explaining what divination arrows are, Ibn Kathir writes that the Arabs had a quiver in their jahiliyya, where they put arrows, on some of which it was written: “my Lord commands me,” on others, “my Lord forbids me,” on others - “there will be problems.”
Ibn Abu Khatim ar-Razi ash-Shafi'i (3rd century) reports in his tafsir, with an isnad from Said ibn Jubeir: “Al-azlam- (fortune-telling) arrows are two arrows by means of which the people of the times of jahiliyya determined their destiny in various situations. On one of them it was written “my Lord ordered me to do this,” on the other - “my Lord removed me from this.” When they wanted to do something, they used them: if an arrow fell out on which it was written “my Lord ordered me to do this,” then they performed the desired action, but if the one on which it was written “my Lord removed me from this” fell out, then they left him. These are “al-azlyam” - (fortune-telling) arrows” (Tafsir of the 90th verse of Surah Al-Maida, 1198 pp.)
Says Imam Al-Qurtubi (died 671) in his tafsir of the 90th verse of Surah al-Maida:
“Al-azlyam” - (fortune-telling) arrows among the Arabs were of three types:
1. These are three (objects) that each of them did for himself. On one of them was written “do”, on the other - “don’t do”, the third object remained empty. They put them in a leather bag and took them with them. If one of them wanted to do something, he put his hand into this bag - all the objects felt the same - he pulled out one of them and acted in accordance with what was indicated in it. If an object (an arrow) fell out that was empty, then he did it again. This is exactly what Surakah ibn Malik ibn Ju'shum did before he began to persecute the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he left with Abu Bakr for Medina. This is similar to what Allah has forbidden, like the words of astrologers (star divination, horoscopes): “Do not go out, since (now) such and such a star (is in a certain phase), come out when this star rises. Allah said (meaning): “No man knows what he will gain tomorrow” (Surah Luqman, verse 34).
2. These are the seven arrows that the (idol) Khubl had inside the Kaaba...
3. These are arrows for gambling (games). There were ten of them: seven of them were with inscriptions about a certain share, and three were empty. They used them in their games of chance to determine their share of the winnings, as we have explained. This refers to eating people's property without the right, which is prohibited. In the same way, any game of chance with pigeons, backgammon, chess, etc. of games are a way of determining one’s destiny (istiqsam), as in the case of (fortune-telling) arrows.
All this is prohibited and is a form of fortune telling and a claim to knowledge of hidden knowledge.”
Says Abu-Bakr ibn al-Arabi (468-543) in his book “Ihkam al-Kuran” 2\31: “Tenth point: The words of Allah: “... and determining the destiny (fortune telling) by arrows” (Sura Al -Maida”, verse 3). The meaning of this: to determine what is due to you and consider it your destiny, your aspirations and benefit for yourself - this is prohibited and is a vicious action on the part of the one who does this. This is a claim to the desire to know hidden knowledge. None of Allah's creations are allowed such a claim to hidden knowledge (al-ghoyb). Allah closed (the path) to this after His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, leaving him only in a prophetic dream.
If they ask: can this be determined through the Koran?
We will say: this is not allowed. The Qur'an is not for seeking hidden knowledge through it. Its verses are clear, and the words in it indicate the prohibition of seeking hidden knowledge. Don't do things like that!
Further, Ibn al-Arabi says: “Point twelve: (fortune-telling) arrows: some had arrows, others had pebbles, others had cards. One of them was empty, and the second one said “do” or something like that. On the third - “don’t do it.” They mixed them in a quiver (bag) and pulled out one. If it was empty, then they did it again until “do” or “don’t” came up.
Imam Al-Karafi quotes the words of Imam At-Tartushi (Maliki scholars) about the prohibition of using the Koran for this:
قالقرافي رحuction الله: "وأما الفل الحر ق قال الطرطوشي في تimes إimes إل إلفل е ال bow وضild الرم والضughter Post Ising وجميinder affed اللو# حرام; لأنه من باب الاستقسام بالأزلام . والزلام أاد كالت اي الجاهلية مكو# أهinct افل ولى الآخر تlf الى اurta غل فيخippus إimes وج وع #inger لى حاجه التي يقصها أو لا تimes أmp أوا وا yourself أimeshes ذuction, خرج المكوو influped غ Phot غل أ الضship ancy بς iod iod #nkuzzك الأواد فهو ال م أي طلlf القimes ، الجيّ يتimes, والرديء يتship خذ الفل مص غيره إussices еق اا إlas خرج جيدا اتimes أو رديئا اجlas ، فهو عيimir الام #زلام الذي وردult انتهى من “الفروق” (4/240).
What is the difference between istikhara on the rosary (which, as explained on Chirkey TV, can be done with any countable objects, which includes arrows) and divination arrows, it is unclear to me. I think an unbiased reader is also unlikely to find any difference.
Throughout our lives, we encounter “difficulties” and do not know what to do in a contradictory situation. We have doubts about making decisions. A person thinks about whether it will be “good” to commit this or that act. At such moments we resort to the help of Allah. When we undertake things such as getting married, buying a house, looking for a job, or going on a trip, we seek God's direction. At such important moments, every Muslim is required to perform Istikhara prayer.
What is Istikhara?
In Arabic translation, Istikhara means the search for good, choice in action. The choice between two actions, who needs to make one of the correct decisions, preferable to Allah. They say: “Ask Allah for help and He will give you a choice.”
To whom and when should I perform Istikhara prayer?
The performance of Istikhara is desirable for those who wish to perform any specific action. If a Muslim hesitates in choosing between several solutions, the worshiper, after carefully listening and weighing the advice of the “experienced”, settles on one thing and performs the Istikhara prayer. After prayer, he follows his intended goal with a calm soul. Anyone who has read Istikhara should not doubt the outcome of his case. In any case, whichever option comes true, it will be good. If it worked out as we wanted, then good, but if it didn’t work out, then Allah protected us from senselessness.
Istikhara is performed for a specific cause. If we, for example, ask for happiness, success, health, prosperity, a new job, family life, then we make a regular prayer (dua).
Istikhara prayer does not have a “time frame”; it can be performed anytime and anywhere (except for places where the pronunciation of the name of Allah is not permitted and times are not permitted for prayer). But the last third of the night is still desirable and preferable. It is also better to read it before reading Witr prayer in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of the Most High), transmitted from Abdullah son of Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): “Make Witr your last prayer at night” (hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
How to perform Istikhara prayer?
When you are going to do something and sincerely want Allah to show you the right decision, then for this you first need to perform ablution (wudu) and an additional prayer of 2 rak'ahs. After performing the prayer, a special Prayer (Istikhara) should be read.
Jabir bin Abdullah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him) taught us that we should ask for help from the Lord in all matters, just as he taught us this or that surah from the Koran, and said: “If any of you wants to do anything, let him perform an additional prayer of two rak'ahs, and then say:
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَخِيْرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيْمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوْبِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ آُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ – وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ- خَيْرٌ لِيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاقْدُرْهُ لِيْ وَيَسِّرْهُ لِيْ ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِيْ فِيْهِ، وَإِنْ آُنْتَ تَعْلَمُأَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ آَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِيْ بِهِ
“Allahumma, inni astakhiru-kya bi-'ilmi-kya wa astakdirukya bi-kudrati-kya wa as'alyu-kya min fadli-kya-l-'azimi fa-inna-kya takdiru wa la akdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lyamu, wa Anta 'allamu-l-guyubi! Allahumma, in kunta ta'lamu anna haza-l-amra khairun li fi dini, wa ma'ashi wa 'akibati amri, fa-kdur-hu li wa yassir-khu li, sum barik li fi-hi; wa in kunta ta'lyamu anna haza-l-amra sharrun li fi dini, wa ma'ashi wa 'akibati amri, fa-srif-hu 'an-ni wa-srif-ni 'an-hu wa-kdur lia-l -haira haisu kyana, sum ardi-ni bi-hi.”
The general meaning of this prayer is: “O Allah, I ask You to help me with Your knowledge and Your power and I ask You to show me great mercy, for You can, but I cannot, You know, but I do not know, and You know everything about hidden! O Allah, if You know that this matter (and a person should be told what he intends to do) will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or: ... sooner or later), then point it out to me , make it easier for me, and then give me Your blessing for it; if You know that this matter will turn out to be harmful for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs, then take it away from me, and take me away from it and reveal goodness for me, wherever it is, and then bring me to satisfaction with it."
None of those who asked for help from the Creator and then consulted with the believers created by Him, showing caution in their affairs, experienced any regrets, for Allah the Almighty said: “...And consult with them about matters, and when you decide on anything, trust in Allah”(“The Family of Imran”, 159.)
How many times to perform Istikhara prayer?
Before every important task, it is enough to perform Istikhara once.
After a person’s conversion, the Almighty “inspires” the Muslim, guiding him on the righteous path. The person who prays must listen to his heart and make the right choice. If he failed to see the “signs” the first time, then “the person should continue reading this prayer until he feels it.” There is a hadith narrated by Ibn al-Sunni in which it is said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you are troubled by any issue, perform Istikhara by praying to Your Lord, then see what is the first feeling that arises in your heart. If after this dua the heart is inclined to do what caused istikhara, then doing it will be better; if the heart is not inclined, then this matter is postponed. If your heart is not inclined towards anything, then repeat more than seven times.”
Some scholars advised repeating the prayer until it “reveals” which of the two things is better.
The one who makes Istikhara does not go astray!
Dear brothers and sisters, after we have entrusted ourselves to the Almighty, turned to him with need, read the Istikhara prayer and du’a, we just have to do what our heart is in. It is considered good for each of us and a good “sign” if Allah has made it easier to complete a certain task, the problem has been solved - easily and naturally. And on the contrary, the existence of obstacles on the path is a sign of detachment from unrighteous deeds and actions. Thus, Allah shows us that this should not be done, it should not be done. In both cases, we should be satisfied, because by performing Istikhara, we allow the Almighty to choose for us what is best. Even if at that moment it seems to us that this is not so. May Allah always protect us and lead us along the path of goodness and blessings!
Detailed recommended procedure for performing Istikhara prayer
- Perform ablution for prayer.
- It is necessary to make intentions for Istikhara prayer before starting it.
- Perform two rak'ahs. The sunnah is to read Surah Kafirun in the first rak'at after Fatiha, and Surah Ikhlyas in the second after Al-Fatiha.
- At the end of the prayer, say salam.
- After salam, raise your hands with submission to Allah, realizing His greatness and power, and concentrate on du’a.
- At the beginning of the du'a, say words of praise and exaltation to Allah, then say salawat to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It will be better if you say salawat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the way it is pronounced in the tashahhud: “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Wa barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Fil ‘alamina innakya Hamidu-m-Majid!” or any other learned form.
- Then read the du’a-istikhara: “O Allah, truly I ask You to help me with Your knowledge, and strengthen me with Your power...” to the end.
- After saying the words “... if You know what this is,” you need to name your goal. For example: “... if You know what this matter is (my travel to such and such a country or buying a car or marrying the daughter of such and such, etc.) - then complete the du’a with the words “... that this matter will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next).” These words are repeated twice - where they talk about a good and bad outcome: “... And if You know that this matter will turn out to be evil for my religion, my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the future) ... »
- Then read the salawat to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as before and the salawat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
10. At this point, the Istikhara prayer ends, the outcome of the matter remains with Allah, and the person’s trust in Him remains. You yourself should strive towards your goal and throw away all dreams and everything that oppresses and overcomes. Don't be distracted by all this. You need to strive for the last thing in which you saw good.
Rules for performing Istikhara prayer
- Accustom yourself to istikhara in every matter, no matter how insignificant it may be.
- Understand that Allah Almighty will guide you to what will be better. Be sure of this while du'a and thinking about it and understand this great thought.
- Istikhara read after the ratibats of obligatory (fard) prayers is not valid. On the contrary, it is necessary that these are two separate rak’ahs, read specifically for istikhara.
- If you want to perform istikhara after voluntary ratibats, dukh prayer or other nawafil prayers, then this is permitted, but on the condition that the intention is made before entering the prayer. But if you started prayer and did not make an intention for istikhara, then this is not correct.
- If you need to do istikhara during a time forbidden for prayer, then wait until this time passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, then perform prayer at this time and ask for help (istikhara).
- If you are separated from prayer by a ban on performing prayer (such as menstruation in women), then you should wait until the reason for the ban passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, and the matter cannot be delayed, then you should ask for help (istikhara) only by reading the du’a, without performing prayer.
- If you have not memorized the du'a-istikhara, you can read it from the sheet. But it would be better to learn.
- It is permissible to read du'a-istikhara before the end of the prayer, before salam after tashahhud. Just as it is permissible to read it after prayer.
- If you asked for help (istikhara), then implement what you want and be consistent in it.
- If the situation has not cleared up for you, then you can repeat istikhara.
- Do not add anything to the du'a-istikhara and do not subtract anything from it. Follow the text exactly.
- Don't let your passions control you in what you choose. It is possible that the most correct decision is something that is contrary to your desire (such as marrying so-and-so’s daughter or buying a car you like, etc.). Moreover, the person who performed istikhara must leave his personal choice. Otherwise, what is the point of seeking help from Allah? He will not be completely sincere in his conversion (du'a).
- Do not forget to consult with knowledgeable and pious people. Combine your istikhara and consultation.
- Does not ask for help (istikhara) one for another. However, it is very possible when a mother calls on Allah for her son or daughter so that Allah chooses good for them - at any time and in any prayer, in two positions:
the first - in prostration, the second - after tashahhud, salawat for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him in the form of salawat for Ibrahim, peace be upon him. - If there is doubt as to whether there was an intention for Istikhara and after the prayer has already begun, it becomes clear that there was no intention, but he is already in prayer, then the intention is made for general prayer. And then a separate prayer for istikhara is performed.
- If there are many things to do, is it legal to perform one prayer for all the things to do, or is there a different istikhara for each thing? It is more correct and better to do a separate istikhara for each task. But if you combine them, there will be nothing wrong with it.
- There is no istikhara in undesirable matters, not to mention forbidden ones.
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1maksat wrote: Wa alaikum assalaam. I don't know if the information is true. Found it on the Internet “What is the Sharia ruling on rosary beads?” Answer: Remembrance of Allah using rosary beads or any other means of counting is permissible. Remembering Allah with the help of rosaries was permitted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and our righteous predecessors used them without hindrance: 1. The Mother of the Believers, Safiyya (may Allah be pleased with her), said: 2. Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that one day he went with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to a woman, in front of whom lay bones or pebbles with which she remembered Allah, and when he saw her , He said: 3. Al-Qasim ibn Abdurrahman said: 4. Abu Nadra al-Ghifari said: Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, 5. Nu'aym ibn al-Muharrar ibn Abi Huraira reported that his grandfather Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) had a thread on which there were two thousand knots, and that he did not go to bed until he performed the remembrance with it. This was related by Abdullah, the son of Imam Ahmad, in Zawaid az-Zuhd, as well as by Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilya. Famous Muslim scholars have written books about the permissibility of using rosaries in the remembrance of Allah. Among them are Imam Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, who wrote a book under the name “Al-minha fis-subha”; Sheikh Muhammad ibn “Illan al-Siddiqi, who wrote a book called “Iqad al-masabih li mashru” iyati ittihaz al-masabih”; and Imam Abu al-Hasanat al-Laknawi, who wrote a book on this subject entitled Nuzhat al-fikr fi subhat az-dhikr. Imam Suyuti (may the Almighty have mercy on him), after telling these hadiths and other traditions, said: From this theological conclusion it is clear that the use of rosaries was not prohibited during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). How could it be otherwise, if the rosary reminds us of Allah Almighty - everyone who sees them is sure to remember Him, and this is their greatest value. Some righteous predecessors (may Allah Almighty have mercy on them) called them that - a reminder. And there is not a single tradition, either from the early predecessors or from the later ones, that they forbade keeping track of the remembrance of Allah through the rosary. On the contrary, many of them used them for this purpose and saw nothing wrong with it. “As for istikhara on the rosary, some of them (scholars) allowed it, and some forbade it.” This form of istikhara is not mentioned in the sunnah, but at the same time it is not shirk. This is a dua in which a Muslim asks his Lord to show him the truth in a certain way. The subject of this request differs from the subject of the request of the istikhara, which is known in Sharia. In the dua given in the question, the believer asks Allah to show him what is right and to determine where the good is. And in the generally accepted form of istikhara, there is a request to Allah to facilitate the deed that a person is going to do if it contains good, or to distance him from it if there is evil in this. The traditional form of istikhara is suitable for someone who has already decided on something. As for the form you mention, it is for someone who still doubts and has not yet made a definite decision, and therefore he asks Allah Almighty to guide his choice and point out the best solution available. This dua is based on a person’s faith that the Almighty will answer the request immediately after it is uttered. There is no connection here with fortune telling or polytheism. This is a manifestation of faith in Allah Almighty and one of the types of worship to Him. To claim that this is shirk is to be like the Kharijites, who take verses and hadiths regarding polytheists and claim that they are about Muslims. Allah Almighty mentioned such people, saying: “Do We really equate Muslims with sinners? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?” (Sura "al-Kalam" Writing reed, verse 35-36). BarakAllahu fikum ahi
Venerable Mufti Doctor
Ali Jumaa Muhammad
professor dr. AliGomaa
“One day, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of the Most High) came to see me. In front of me lay four thousand date seeds with which I remembered Allah. Seeing this, he said: “Shall I teach you how to remember Allah even more?” I said, “Yes, teach me.” He said: “Say: “Holy and pure is Allah as long as His creations exist.” The hadith was narrated by Tirmidhi, and Hakim called it authentic, and Zahabi agreed with him.
“Shall I tell you what would be easier or better for you than this? Say: “Holy and pure is Allah as much as He has created the creatures in the heavens, holy and pure is Allah as much as He has created the creatures on earth, holy and pure is Allah as much as He has created the creatures between them, holy and pure is Allah as much as He He will create more creations." Repeat the same with the phrase “great is Allah”, and with the phrase “praise be to Allah”, and with the phrase “there is no god but Allah”, and with the phrase “there is no strength and might except with Allah”.
The hadith was narrated by Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai and Ibn Majah.
Tirmidhi noted that it has a good isnad,
and Ibn Hibban and Hakim called it reliable.
“Abu al-Dard had date pits that he carried in his purse. When he performed his morning prayer, he began to remember Allah, pulling out one bone from his bag until they ran out.”
The hadith was narrated by Ahmad in the book “Az-Zuhd”
with a reliable isnad.
“One sheikh from the Tufawa tribe told me: “Once I was visiting Abu Hurayrah in Medina. I have not seen among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him) a person more zealous in worshiping Allah, and more hospitable than Abu Hurayrah. One day, when I was with him, I saw him sitting on the bed. He had a bag in which there were pebbles or bones with which he remembered Allah. His black maid was sitting near the bed, and when the stones in her purse ran out, he gave it to the maid and she, having collected them, put them back in her purse and returned them to Abu Huraira."
Nasai and Tirmidhi. The latter called him good.
Traditions with the same meaning are transmitted from Sa'da ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Sufayya, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) freed from slavery.
Also from Fatima, the daughter of al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (may peace be upon them), and other companions and their followers - the Tabiyins.
“Even if there were no other virtue in the use of rosaries other than showing agreement with these great people, following their path and gaining their benefit (baraka) - this would be enough for the use of rosaries to be considered the most important and most worthy of deeds.”
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